How would you feel if you received a letter from the U.S. Government informing you that because of a physical or mental condition that the government says you have it is proposing to rule that you are incompetent to handle your own financial affairs? Suppose that letter also stated that the government is going to appoint a stranger to handle your affairs for you at your expense? That would certainly be scary enough but it gets worse.

What if that letter also stated: “A determination of incompetency will prohibit you from purchasing, possessing, receiving, or transporting a firearm or ammunition. If you knowingly violate any of these prohibitions, you may be fined, imprisoned, or both pursuant to the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, Pub.L.No. 103-159, as implemented at 18, United States Code 924(a)(2).”?

That makes is sound like something right from a documentary on a tyrannical dictatorship somewhere in the world. Yet, as I write this I have a copy of such a letter right in front of me. It is being sent by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of America’s heroes. In my capacity as Executive Director of the United States Justice Foundation (USJF) I have been contacted by some of these veterans and the stories I am getting are appalling.

The letter provides no specifics on the reasons for the proposed finding of incompetency; just that is based on a determination by someone in the VA. In every state in the United States no one can be declared incompetent to administer their own affairs without due process of law and that usually requires a judicial hearing with evidence being offered to prove to a judge that the person is indeed incompetent. This is a requirement of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that states that no person shall “…be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law…”.

Obviously, the Department of Veterans Affairs can’t be bothered by such impediments as the Constitution, particularly since they are clearly pushing to fulfill one of Obama’s main goals, the disarming of the American people. Janet Napolitano has already warned law enforcement that some of the most dangerous among us are America’s heroes, our veterans, and now according to this letter from the VA they can be prohibited from buying or even possessing a firearm because of a physical or mental disability.

Think about it, the men and women who have laid their lives on the line to defend us and our Constitution are now having their own Constitutional rights denied. There are no clear criteria for the VA to declare a veteran incompetent. It can be the loss of a limb in combat, a head injury, a diagnosis of PTSD, or even a soldier just telling someone at the VA that he or she is depressed over the loss of a buddy in combat. In none of these situations has the person been found to be a danger to themselves or others. If that was the case than all of the Americans who have suffered from PTSD following the loss of a loved one or from being in a car accident would also have to be disqualified from owning firearms. It would also mean that everyone who has ever been depressed for any reason should be disarmed. In fact, many of the veterans being deprived of their rights have no idea why it is happening.

The answer seems to be it is simply because they are veterans. At the USJF we intend to find the truth by filing a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Veterans Affairs to force them to disclose the criteria they are using to place veterans on the background check list that keeps them from exercising their Second Amendment rights. Then we will take whatever legal steps are necessary to protect our American warriors.

The reality is that Obama will not get all of the gun control measures he wants through Congress, and they wouldn’t be enough for him anyway. He wants a totally disarmed America so there will be no resistance to his plans to rob us of our nation. That means we have to ask who will be next. If you are receiving a Social Security check will you get one of these letters? Will the government declare that you are incompetent because of your age and therefore banned from firearm ownership. It certainly fits in with the philosophy and plans of the Obama administration. It is also certain that our military veterans don’t deserve this and neither do any other Americans.

I have had techincal difficulties posting a copy of one of these letters on this site. I have someone working on it. In the meantime, I have sent a copy to www.redflagnews.com and it has been posted there with my article.

Looks like Obama's cowardly America-hating minions have infested the VA too, and they are proceeding to disarm the very patriots who are most skilled in firearms training necessary to defend the Constitution (as they swore an oath to do when e first joined the service).

Why can't you just post the letter? Why direct emailing individual comments? Worried about names/ssn's getting out? Black them out... Your report makes some pretty bold claims, but you don't back it up with verifiable fact for the readers. I'd be happy to post on various forums I frequent and send to friends and family alike, but in this day and age of BS reports, trust but VERIFY.

Hi, Michael, pack is correct. I'll be glad to post this and share far and wide with my contacts but the first thing I'm going to hear is...present the letter. I'm a veteran and if the VA is doing this, I WANT TO KNOW!!

I second, third Pack and Chris' statement.. we need you to post the letter.. we must verify.. my son is a veteran.. and we haven't seen such a letter.. but if we do, don't think for a minute it won't end up on every local and national news channel we can get it on.. we won't be silent.. so if you don't mind please post a copy of the letter.. black out what you need to protect the addressee of the said letter.. but at least back up your claims...

I agree with all of this! I did not understand at first what Obama was all about. I thought he was an intelligent man and might bring about some change, but I had no idea...I believe he is here to fulfill a prophecy! This man is the most dangerous man America has had for President until now!! He will disarm us first and then it will start! He has already said in a speech that America is no longer a Christian nation! This gun ban is far more than many can see!!

Michael ~ thanks SO much for writing this article. On Sept 14, 2012, my husband (a Viet Nam vet) received such a letter which came after an Aid & Attendance exam. He is 100% disabled, permanent & total, housebound with End Stage Renal Disease brought on by diabetes that was service-connected. We were shocked when this letter was received. In it, he had 60 days to send proof to support his competency, or they would make a determination that he was incompetent & appoint a fudiciary because they believed he was incompetent to handle his monetary affairs. Along with that was the Brady Act info.

Along with that letter, he was approved for A&A, with a small increase in his monthly disability, as well as info stating that they had erred 9 years ago in not compensating him for two conditions brought on by his service-connected diabetes & they would be now compensating him for that (it was a good amount). However, because of the incompetency issue, that back compensation was on hold pending their determination.

We contacted the local VA office & they put in a request for a hearing. By Nov we hadn't heard back, so contacted the local office again. Nothing had been determined, but the note for a hearing was there. We had to provide a letter from a doctor, family & friends to state they'd known him for XX number of years & that they felt he was still very competent.

Finally, on Dec 14, 2012, without any hearing or notification between their original letter on Sept 14 & Dec 14, they made the determination that he was competent, based on the letters we provided. However, they STILL (as of Feb 21, 2013) not sent his back compensation.

The local VA office said payment of that back compensation could be 30-45 days from the Dec 14 letter & if he didn't get it then, to call back.

So yes, people, it IS a legitimate letter! As a vet & perfectly competent man whose body is giving out, not his mind, he was insulted & extremely upset by the inference he might be otherwise. This after he went to Viet Nam to do his duty & be treated like something one might have stepped in on his return & for years later.